Basic Rules (adapted from Rules for Girl Scout Tournaments)

 
INTRODUCTION

The game time limit is 45 minutes and when the Judge calls time, no more plays can be put on the board.  Each player will subtract the point value of the 7 tiles on its rack.  If a player doesn't have 7 tiles on its rack, he must draw enough tiles to total 7 if there are enough tiles in the bag.

After the first game, players will pair with the others at their table that have similar win-loss records.

SETUP

In game one, the player drawing the letter nearest to the beginning of the alphabet plays first.  The blank tile supersedes all other tiles.  Return the exposed tiles to the bag and reshuffle.

The player going first draws seven tiles from the bag and places them on his rack. Then the second player does the same. The game may then begin.  

GAME PLAY

1. The first player combines two or more of his tiles to form a word and places it on the board to read either across or down with one letter on the center (star) square.

The center square is pink, which doubles the score for the first word.

2. A player completes a turn by announcing the score.  The player records his new cumulative score and then draws as many new tiles as played, thus always keeping seven tiles on his rack.  Tiles should NEVER be drawn until the cumulative score has been recorded.

3. Play alternates between players.  Each player, in turn, adds one or more tiles to those already played to form new words.  Diagonal words are not permitted.

All tiles played in a turn must be placed in one row, across or down on the board, to form one complete word.  If, at the same time, they touch other tiles in adjacent rows, they must form complete words, crossword fashion, with all such tiles.  The player gets full credit for all words formed or modified during his turn.

4. New words may be formed by:

• Adding one or more letters to a word or letters already on the board.
• Placing a word at right angles to a word already on the board.  The new word must use one of the letters already on the board or must add a letter to it.
• Placing a complete word parallel to a word already played so that adjacent letters also form complete words.

5. No tiles may be shifted after the score has been announced.

6.  When the timer has run out of sand, a player must put down a play or state a number of tiles to be exchanged; otherwise, that turn is considered passed to the other player.  It is a necessary courtesy to inform a player that their time is about to expire so that the game may progress in a fair and timely fashion.

THE BLANKS

6. The two blank tiles may be used as any letters.  When playing a blank, the player must state which letter it represents and record the letter on paper before announcing the score to end their turn.  The blank remains that letter for the rest of the game.

7. A blank tile may be turned over and confirmed to be a blank before the play is accepted.  Once the next player makes a play, a false blank may not be corrected.

If a false blank is detected before the next player makes a play, then the play using the false blank comes off the board.  The player who played it loses a turn.

EXCHANGING TILES

8. A player may use a turn to exchange all or some of the tiles in their rack. To do this, the player announces how many tiles they will exchange and places the discarded tile(s) facedown.  This ends his turn.  That player then draws the same number of tiles from the bag and then mixes the discarded tiles with those in the bag.

Tiles cannot be exchanged if there are fewer than seven tiles in the bag.  If this occurs, a penalty applies and the player(s) must call for the director.

9. A player may pass his turn at any time without exchanging any tiles by saying "pass."  No score is received for this turn.

CHALLENGING A PLAY

10. The Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, Fourth Edition (OSPD4) and The Official Word List, Second Edition (OWL2) are used to adjudicate challenges.

11. Any play may be challenged before the next player starts their turn.  If the player wants to consider challenging the play, he can call "hold".  He must call "hold" before his opponent has drawn new tiles.

Players must not draw new tiles too quickly before their opponents have time to see the play.

When a hold occurs, the challenged player cannot draw new tiles for 20 seconds. After this time, he can draw new tiles but must keep them separate from his other tiles until the other player decides to challenge the play or withdraws the hold.  After one minute, if a challenge has not been issued, the hold is automatically withdrawn, and the play can no longer be challenged.

12. To challenge the play, the challenger stops the timer and says "challenge."  The challenger then calls for a Word Judge and shows the Judge which words formed on that turn are being challenged.

If there is at least one word that is found unacceptable, the player being challenged takes back his tiles and loses that turn.  If all the words challenged are acceptable, the challenger loses his turn.  There is no penalty for challenging the final play of the game.

It is strongly advised that all players on a team agree to challenge.  This will help minimize careless challenges.

SCORING

13. Both players should record each player's score, entering it after each turn is announced and before drawing new tiles.  Always record your opponent's cumulative score before making your own play. Check the score announced by your opponent for accuracy when he makes his play.

Games will not be recounted later—though either player may correct a score or his addition before the game ends.

14. The value of each letter is indicated by a number at the bottom of the tile.  The value of the blank is always zero.

15. The score for each turn is the sum of the letter values in each word formed or modified on that turn, plus the additional points obtained from placing tiles on premium squares.

16. A light blue square doubles the value of a letter placed on it; a dark blue square triples the letter value.  The score for an entire word is doubled when one of its tiles is placed on a pink square; it is tripled when one of its tiles is placed on a red square.

Include premiums for double or triple letter values, if any, before doubling or tripling the word score.

Letter and word premiums count only on the turn in which they are played. On later turns, tiles already played on premium squares count at face value. When a blank tile is played on a pink or red square, the value of the word is doubled or tripled, even though the blank itself has no score value.

17. When two or more words are formed in the same play, each is scored. The common letter is counted for each word and the full premium value, if any, is awarded for both.

18. Any player that plays all of their seven tiles on a turn scores a premium of 50 points after totaling the score for the turn.  This play is commonly called a "bingo."

ENDING THE GAME

20. The game ends when:

• all tiles have been drawn, and one player uses their last letter or..
• when all possible plays have been made or...
• when there are six successive scores of zero resulting from passes, exchanges or challenges and the cumulative game score is not zero-zero or...
• when the round officially ends

21. For this event, no game may continue past 45 minutes.  Once the official end of the round is announced, no tiles can be placed on the board.

22. If a player makes his play and the end of game is announced, he must still draw his replacement tiles.  Each player must end the game with a full rack unless there are no tiles left in the bag to be drawn.

23. When the game ends, each player's score is reduced by the sum of their unplayed tiles.

In addition, if a player used all their tiles and the bag is empty, the sum of the other player's unplayed tiles is added to that player's score.

24. The player with the highest score wins the game.  

ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS

25. When drawing tiles, do not look in the bag to see what you are drawing.

26. Never return any tiles to the bag unless you are exchanging letters on your turn.  If you have drawn too many tiles, raise your hand and ask for assistance; an overdraw penalty will be applied.

27. Never make use of any dictionary, word list or electronic device during a game.  The exception to this is the ability to purchase "advice" from a Word Judge –remember, the money goes to charity!

28.  Whenever there is any question or concern, a player should raise their hand and ask to speak with a Word Judge.

WINNING THE TOURNAMENT

The player with the highest cumulative score from both games wins the tournament.  Prizes are awarded in the team and individual categories.